Knife.



H. M. LARTER. KNIFE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 22. 1915.

1 $74,288. Patented July 30, 1918.

Fig.2.

w/mess mm m ATTORNEY.

ITED STATES PATENT oEEicE.

HALSEY M. LARTER, or NEWARK, NEW JERsEY, ASSIGNOR T0 LABTER & son's, or NEWARK, NEW JERsEY, A FIRM COMPOSED or FREDERICK H. LARTER, HARRY G. LARTER, .AND HALSEY M. LARTER.

KNIFE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 30,1918.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, HALsEY M. Lauren, a citizen of the United States, and a resldent of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful. Improvements in Knives, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly to clasp knives such as are intended to be carried inthe pocket, and the objects of the invention are to form a combined handle and casing; to provide a construction by which two hinged leaves or sections form a casing for the knife when the blades are closed, and form a handle when the blades are opened; to enable the blades to be hinged after the usual manner of a penknife; to secure a construction by which the blades may be closed without any special manipulation of the leaves or sections of the casing; to provide means for holding the leaves or sections in proper relation to each other and to the rest of the knife when both in closed position and in open position; to avoid sepa rable parts which are liable to become lost; tosecure compactness and simplicity, and to secure other advantages and results as may be brought out in the following description.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, in which like numerals of reference indicate the same parts throughout the several views,

' Figure 1 is a side View of a knife of my improved construction;

Fig. 2 is an end viewof the same;

Figs. 3 and 4 are cross-sections taken on lines AA and B-B respectively, of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a cross-section corresponding to Fig. 4 with the case sections or leaves opened;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section on line CG.Fig. 4;

Fig. 7, is a top edge View, and

Fig. 8 is a detail section on line D-D, Fig. 6.

In the specific embodiment of the invention shown in said drawing, 1, 2 indicate case sections or leaves which when closed together form' a case of approximately the size and shapeoff a knife and which incloses the working. parts thereof, as shown in the drawings. ,To this end the said sections have each a low bezel 3, or 4, the bezel of one section as? being provided with a stepped lip 5 to close into "the other bezel 4 and form a tight joint. At the side of the case from which the blades emerge in opening, each bezel is notched as at 6 so that the thumb nails of the user can engage each one of the sections to open the same, and at the opposite edge of the case the sections are hinged together as at 7. Furthermore, this hinge is provided with a spring 8 which serves to hold the sections closed tightly together and also when they have been opened past a certain point to hold them in extreme opened position, as is common in eyeglass cases and the like. In illustrating this, I have shown the flat leaf spring 8 fixed at one end to the beveled side of a block 20 on one of the hinged sections or leaves, as 2, see Fig. 6, and pressed flatwise at its other free end against the corresponding beveled side of a block 21 fast to the other section or leaf 1, when the case is closed, see Figs. 4- and 6. When the case is open the free end of said spring 8 lies against the other beveled surface of the block 21, as shown in Fig. 5. Any other suitable means might be employed, however.

The blade-carrying portion of the knife lies between the two case sections or leaves 1, 2 and is suitably secured thereto to hold it in proper relative position, as by hinging it to the same hinge pin 7 which connects thesections or leaves. I have shown the blade-carrying portion as comprising oppo site plates 9, 9 between which the blades 10, 11 are pivoted, said plates being joined at their bottom by a back-piece 12' which carries at its outer side sleeves or pieces of hollow wire 13 to receive the hinge pin 14 and has at its inner side a spring 15 to operate the blades as is common in the art. When the blades are closed as shown in Fig.1, both they and their carrying portion lie neatly and compactly within the case sections or leaves, and upon opening said sections or leaves, the blades can readily be opened in the usual manner of pocket knives.

Apertures 16 are provided in the ends of the case for allowing the blades to projectand the case sections or leaves 1, 2 to close tightly together at the same time, said apertures bein shown as provided by cutting away portions of the bezels as at 17 18, see Figs. 2 and 5 more especially. The case thus forms a handle for grasping to use a blade when open, and preferably the corn struction is such that the blade can be closed without any necessity for opening the case sections' or le'aves'1,'2 with-the fingers. For

this purpose, the apertures 16 in the ends-of the case taper toward the front edge of the knife or edge from which the blades open, so that the tang of the blade which lies in said aperture when the blade is open will force the-secti'ons or'lea'ves apart as'the blade is closed. Thls greatly expediteseloslng: of

slte case sections or leaves adapted to fold the knife, since simply Closing the blade automatically operates the case sections or leaves.- This construction enables the knife when open tobe closed just like any pocket clasp knifc,by-shutting the blade, since the tang of the blade will operate the sections or leaves of the case enough tomake a pasagefor the blade togo through into closed position, and then the spring'which holds said sections or leaves together will instantly shut them tightly together. It will be understood that the point to-Whichthe-sections tion to swing inthemplane iof the sections or leaves -must .be opened to. cause their springtothrowithem intowide open posi-' tion is-beyond that to which the blade forcesthem apart in closing.

Obviously'the iupperor inner edge of the tang 19 of the blade may be beveled or wedge shaped, as desired,--to assist in the smooth operation of the case leaves or sections, and it willbe noted that the tang engages at its loweror back edge the bottom of the aperture 16 inthe case, as a stop, and which may thus reinforce the blade against the strain or tendency of use to bend it backward.

hile I have shown a knife having-two blades, for purposes ofillustration, it will be understood that any number of'blades maybe employed from one up, and I- do not desire to restrict myself in: this respect. It

will be understood that various other detail and'I'do not "wish or intend tolimit myselfherein exceptrasrequired by thefollowing light of the claims when I construed in the pr-lor'art. I 7 Having, thus described the invention, what 7; I is:

' 1. 1111' knife, the combinationof opposite case 'sections or leaves adapted tofold together and provide an interior chamber, said sections or leaves be ng ah1nged=at one longitudina l edge and? adapted to closetogether at the *opposite edge, a blade-carrying portionbetween-said sections orleaves and piv oted theretoad] acent their hinged edges, and

a blade-mounted insaid blade-carrying poror. leaves when closed.

'12; Inknife;.the combination of opposite CHSBESGCtIOIIS lor leaves-adapted to fold- Ltogether and provide an interior chamber,

said sections 01 leaves being hinged at one 1 longitudinal edge and adapted to close together at the opposite-edge,-ablade-carry1ng portion between'saidsections --er- --1eaves and pivoted thereto adjacent their hinged edges,

' and a blade mounted in said bladecarrying 'portionto swing 1n the plane of the sections 'or leaves when closed.

Ina knife,--the combination of oppoportion between said sections or leavesand pivoted upon the samchinge pin therewith, and a blade mounted in said blade-carrying portion to swing in the plane of thesections or leaves whenclosed. 7 4. In a knife, the combination- 0f opposite case sections or leaves adapted to fold together and form an interior chamber, said case sections or leaves being hinged together at one longitudinal edge and iadapted'to close together at the other edge,ablade-carryingfportion open at one edge between said sections or-leaves andpivoted thereto by: its closed edge adj acent their hinged edges, and a blade mountedin saidblade-carrying por; tion to swing into and out of-the same through its said open edge. I

5. In a knife, the combination of op oe site. case sections or leaves adaptedto-iold together and provide an interior chamber, said sections or leaves being hinged at one longitudinal edge and adapted to close: together at the oppositeedge,--means:for normally holding said sections or leaves either closed or wide open, a blade-carrying portion between said 'sections or leaves and pivoted thereto,and a blade in said blade-carrying: portion adapted-t0 swing in the-:plane of the sections or leaves when closed.

6. In a knife, theeombination of-opposite case' sections or 'leaves adapted-to 'foldtogether' and form an interior chamber, said sections-or leavesbeing-hinged at one longitudinal edge and adapted toclose together at the other edge, a blade-carrying portion between said sections or 1 leaves" and {secured thereto, and a blade in said bladecarryi portion pivoted to swing-in the plane of the sections or. leaves I when closed and projec t 7 from the end thereof, said sections providing at'one end otthe' c ase an openingior saidwblade which is tapered at its end toward the free edges'of the sections or leaves, whereby the blitCleWill automatically sepa-"g rate said; sections or leaves ;in closing'd *7; In a knife, the combination of opposite case sections or leaves adapted tofold together and provide an interio r' ohamber, said sections or leaves being hinged at ons longitudinal edge 'anchaclapted to -close together at the opposite edge, means for normally holding said sections or leaves either closed or wide open, a blade-carrying portion between said sections or leaves and secured thereto, and a blade in said bladecarrying portion adapted to swing in the plane of the sections or leaves when closed and to project from the end thereof, said sections being recessed at one end to :torm an opening for said blade which opening is tapered or wedge-shaped at its end toward the free edges of the sections or leaves, whereby the blade will automatically separate said sections or leaves in closing.

8. In a knife, the combination of op 0- site case sections or leaves adapted to fold together and provide an interior chamber, said sections or leaves being hinged at one longitudinal edge and adapted to close together at the opposite edge and providing at their meeting edges a recess at one end of the case, means for resiliently holding said sections or leaves closed together, a blade-carrying portion between said sections or leaves and connected thereto adjacent their hinged edges, and a blade mounted in said blade-carrying portion to swing between the free edges of the case sections or leavesin the plane thereof when closed and project through the said end aperture, the tang of said blade at the cutting edge of the blade and the adjacent wall of the aperture being one inclined with respect to the plane of swinging of the blade so that said blade will wedgingly open the case sections or leaves and close them.

9. In a knife, the combination of opposite case sections or leaves adapted to f ld together and provide an interior chamber, said sections or leaves being hinged at one longitudinal edge and adapted to close to-- gether at the opposite edge and providing at their meeting edges a recess at one end 0': the case, means for resiliently holding, said sections or leaves closed together, a bladecarrying portion between said sections or leaves and connected thereto adjacent their hinged edges, and a blade mounted in said blade-carrying portion to swing between the tree edges of the case sections or leaves in the plane thereof when closed and project through the said end aperture, the back of said blade and the adjacent wall of the aperture being so positioned with respect to each other that they enga e when the blade is open, whereby said blade is reinforced against backward strain.

10. In a knife, the combination of opposite case sections or leaves adapted to fold together and provide an interior chamber, said sections or leaves having at one pair of edges alined sleeves and at their other edges finger means for separation, a pivot extending through said sleeves, a bladecarrying portion in said interior chamber formed by the case sections, said blade-carrying portion having on its back exterior sleeves alining with the said sleeves on the case sections and receiving the same pivotal pin, and a blade mounted in said blade-carrying portion to swing in the plane thereof toward and away from the line of hinging of said parts.

11. In a knife, "the combination of opposite case sections or leaves adapted to fold together and provide an interior chamber, said sections or leaves having at one pair of edges alined sleeves and at their other edges finger means for separation, a pivot extending through said sleeves, a blade-carrying portion in said interior chamber formed by the case sections, said blade-carrying portion having on its back exterior sleeves alining with the said sleeves on the case sections and receiving the same pivotal pin, a blade mounted in said blade-carrying portion to swing in the plane thereof toward and away from the line of hingin of said parts, and spring means for hol'in case sections or leaves shut or closed toget er.

HALSEY M. LARTER.

copies of this pltent may be obtained tor five cents each, by addressing the "Oommluloner of Intel",

Washington, D. 0. 

